Technical Writing 101: The Ultimate Guide to Technical Writing | by Brian Mathenge | Medium

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Technical writing is writing about a particular subject requiring direction, instruction, explanation or clarification. It is a method of communication used by experts and professionals to convey…

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Highlights

Technical writing is writing about a particular subject requiring direction, instruction, explanation or clarification. ⤴️

The 7 C’s of professional communication, when used, will produce writing that is:

• Clear: The reader can immediately understand the goal of a document when it is written clearly. Clear writing also fits vocabulary to the audience, minimizing unneeded jargon and technical terminology while yet being exact

• Coherent: The reader will be able to follow your ideas and your line of reasoning if your writing is coherent. One concept should logically lead to the next.

• Concise: Make use of the fewest words necessary to express the most thought while keeping the writing clear. Refrain from adding extra space, being imprecise, and using unnecessary repetition and redundancy.

• Concrete: Describe your thoughts in detail and utilize precise language to help your audience see what you are trying to convey.

• Correct: Use standard English language and punctuation. Give accurate information and use the proper format and document type for your writing.

• Complete: Provide all the necessary details and respond to all pertinent queries. Your document is more likely to be complete if you are more precise and concrete.

• Courteous: Use a reader-friendly, simple-to-read document. Use considerate language, and an audience-appropriate approach and avoid potentially objectionable vocabulary, usage and tone. ⤴️

Organizing Information Logically and Coherently

Studies have shown that people read technical documents most frequently to find quick solutions. As a result, the structure of technical content is essential for readers to swiftly and easily find what they need.

You can use these guidelines to create well-organized technical documentation:

Categorize the information into distinct subjects according to the types of content so that users will know what to expect.

Tasks are typically executed in a specific order, therefore you should also organize them by order of use.

Separate contextual information from other kinds of information.

Prioritize primary ideas and subordinate ideas. For instance, you can use repetition or reinforcement to maintain the reader’s attention on the main idea. ⤴️